Printing apparatus, main body of printing apparatus and cassette

Abstract

There is provided a printing apparatus which includes a base, a movable member which is movably held by the base, to be movable along a first direction which is parallel to the base, a spring which applies a bias to the movable member, at one side in the first direction, a bearing which is supported by the movable member, a roller which is rotatably supported by the bearing, and is extended in a second direction orthogonal to the base, and which guides the ink ribbon, a first detection target member which is provided to the roller, to be rotatable integrally with the roller, and a first sensor which is provided to the movable member, and is facing the first detection target member, and which detects rotation of the first detection target member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A printing apparatus, comprising:
 a base; 
 a movable member held by the base movably along a first direction parallel to the base; 
 a spring configured to apply a bias, to the movable member, toward one side in the first direction; 
 a bearing supported by the movable member; 
 a roller rotatably supported by the bearing, the roller extending in a second direction orthogonal to the base; 
 a first detection target member fixed to the roller; and 
 a first sensor provided to the movable member, and configured to face the first detection target member. 
 
     
     
       2. The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 an end portion of the spring, on the other side in the first direction, is fixed to the base, and 
 the movable member is provided to an end portion of the spring, on the one side in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       3. The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cassette mounted on the base detachably along the second direction, wherein 
 the movable member, the spring, and the first sensor are provided to the base, and 
 the bearing, the roller, and the first detection target member are provided to the cassette movably along the first direction, and 
 under a condition that the cassette is mounted on the base, the movable member supports the bearing. 
 
     
     
       4. The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the movable member comprises:
 a sensor holding portion positioned at the other side in the first direction, with respect to the first detection target member, and configured to hold the first sensor; and 
 a bearing holding portion positioned at one side in the second direction, with respect to the sensor holding portion, the bearing holding portion protruding toward the one side in the first direction, from the sensor holding portion, and the bearing holding portion having a surface for contacting with the other side in the first direction of the bearing. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The printing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 under a condition that the cassette is installed on the base, the cassette is positioned at one side in the second direction with respect to the base, and 
 the movable member comprises:
 a sensor holding portion positioned at the other side in the first direction, with respect to the first detection target member, and configured to hold the first sensor; 
 a bearing holding portion positioned at the one side in the second direction, with respect to the sensor holding portion, the bearing holding portion protruding toward the one side in the first direction, and the bearing holding portion being in contact with the other side in the first direction of the bearing holding portion under the condition that the cassette is installed on the base; and 
 an inclined surface positioned at the one side in the second direction with respect to the bearing holding portion, and being inclined toward the other side in the first direction as moving away toward the one side in the second direction, from the bearing holding portion. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The printing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 a length of the roller, from the bearing to one end on the one side in the second direction, is longer than a length of the roller, from the bearing to the other end on the other side in the second direction, and 
 the first detection target member is arranged on the other side in the second direction, of the bearing. 
 
     
     
       7. The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second detection target member provided to one of the movable member and the base; and 
 a second sensor provided to the other of the movable member and the base, to face the second detection target member. 
 
     
     
       8. The printing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the second detection target member is provided to the movable member, and 
 the second sensor is provided to the base. 
 
     
     
       9. The printing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the first sensor is provided to an end portion on the one side in the first direction of the movable member, and 
 the second detection target member is provided to an end portion on the other side in the first direction of the movable member. 
 
     
     
       10. The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first detection target member is a permanent magnet, and 
 the first sensor is a magnetic sensor. 
 
     
     
       11. The printing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein
 same poles of the permanent magnet are arranged to be consecutive in an axial direction, and different poles of the permanent magnet are arranged alternately in a circumferential direction, and 
 a position in the second direction, of the magnetic sensor coincides with a center position in the second direction of the permanent magnet. 
 
     
     
       12. The printing apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a first linear guide provided to the base, to guide the movable member in a first range parallel to the first direction; and 
 a second linear guide provided to the cassette, to guide the roller in a second range parallel to the first direction. 
 
     
     
       13. The printing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the first range of the first linear guide is larger than the second range of the second linear guide. 
     
     
       14. The printing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein a length in the first direction, of the inclined surface, is equal to or greater than a sum of a half of the first range, a half of the second range, and a radius of the roller. 
     
     
       15. The printing apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a first stopper provided to the base, positioned at two ends of the first range, and configured to regulate the first range by making a contact with the movable member; and 
 a second stopper provided to the cassette, positioned at two ends of the second range, and configured to regulate the second range by making a contact with the roller, wherein 
 in a state of the roller and the second stopper in contact, the movable member and the first stopper are separated apart. 
 
     
     
       16. The printing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the roller is detachably installed on the second linear guide. 
     
     
       17. The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first installing portion configured to rotatably support a ribbon feeding roll from which an ink ribbon can be drawn; 
 a second installing portion configured to support a take-up roll to which the ink ribbon drawn from the ribbon feeding roll is wound; 
 a thermal head provided to an ink-ribbon path between the first installing portion and the second installing portion; 
 a first tension applying mechanism provided to the ink-ribbon path between the thermal head and the first installation portion, and comprising the movable member, the spring, the bearing, the roller, the first detection target member, and the first sensor; and 
 a second tension applying mechanism provided to the ink-ribbon path between the thermal head and the second installing portion, and comprising the movable member, the spring, the bearing, and does not include the first detection target member and the first sensor. 
 
     
     
       18. The printing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the roller comprises:
 a shaft extending in the second direction, an end portion of the shaft on the other side in the second direction being attached to the cassette; 
 a sleeve provided to an outer circumference of the shaft rotatably with respect to the shaft; and 
 a connecting member connected to an end portion on the other side in the second direction of the sleeve, the connecting member being rotatable, integrally with the sleeve, with respect to the shaft, 
 
 the bearing rotatably supports the connecting member, at a position on the one side in the second direction of a position at which the sleeve and the connecting member are connected, and 
 the first detection target member is fixed to the connecting member, at a position on the one side in the second direction of the bearing. 
 
     
     
       19. A main body of a printing apparatus on which a cassette is detachably installed, the main body comprising:
 a base; 
 a movable member held by the base and movable along an orthogonal direction, the movable member being configured to support a bearing at the time of installing the cassette, the bearing being provided to a roller in the cassette, and the roller being extended in an axial direction from a cassette base of the cassette, and the axial direction being orthogonal to the orthogonal direction; 
 a spring configured to apply a bias in the orthogonal direction to the movable member; and 
 a sensor provided to the movable member, and located to face a detection target member at the time of installing the cassette, and the detection target member being provided to the roller at a position on an opposite side of the cassette base, with respect to the bearing in the axial direction. 
 
     
     
       20. A cassette detachable from a main body of a printing apparatus main body, the cassette comprising:
 a cassette base; 
 a roller extended in a normal direction of the cassette base; 
 a bearing provided to the roller, to be separated apart from the cassette base in the normal direction, the bearing being configured to rotatably support the roller; 
 a detection target member provided to the roller, at a position on an opposite side of the cassette base, with respect to the bearing in the normal direction; and 
 a linear guide provided to the cassette base to movably guide the roller along an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the normal direction.